The 1997 Barrymore Awards, which recognize excellence in Philadelphia theatre, will be presented Oct. 20 at the Walnut Street Theatre.
Wilma Theatre came up on top this season with 19 nominations; Walnut Street got 14. Villanova Theatre's Angels In America - Part II: Perestroika and Arden Theatre's Death Of A Salesman tied for seven nominations. Recently deceased Philadelphia actor Doug Wing will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.
A nominating committee of 40 members chose from 98 productions by 29 professional theatres in shows staged Sept. 1996-July 1997. This third annual event is presented by CoreStates and the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. For tickets (which go onsale Sept. 9) and information, call (215) 413-7150.
Here are all the 1997 nominees:
Outstanding Overall Production of a Play :
Angels In America - Part II - Perestroika (Villanova Theatre); Arcadia (Wilma Theatre); Death Of A Salesman (Arden Theatre Company); Oleanna (Walnut Street Studio 3); Quills (Wilma Theatre).
Outstanding Overall Production Of A Musical:
110 In The Shade (Bristol Riverside Theatre); 1776 (Walnut Street); Another Midsummer Night (American Music Theatre Festival); Avenue X (Wilma Theatre); Sweeney Todd (Puttin' On The Ritz). Outstanding Direction of a Play :
James J. Christy & Harriet Power (Angels In America, Part II - Perestroika, Villanova Theatre); Ken Marini (The Illusion, Cheltenham Center For The Arts); Terrance J. Nolen (Death Of A Salesman, Arden Theatre); William Roudebush (Oleanna, Walnut Street Theatre Studio 3); Blanka Zizka (Quills, Wilma Theatre).
Harold Prince Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical :
Frank Anzalone (1776, Walnut Street); Susan D. Atkinson (110 In The Shade, Bristol Riverside); Bruce Curless (Sweeney Todd, Puttin' On The Ritz); Michael Maggio (Another Midsummer Night, American Music Theatre Festival); Blanka Zizka (Avenue X, Wilma Theatre).
Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play :
William Leach (Faith Healer, Walnut Street); Benjamin Lloyd (Three In The Back, Two In The Head, InterAct Theatre Company); Marc Margolis (Quills, Wilma Theatre); Tom McCarthy (Death Of A Salesman, Arden Theatre Company); Greg Wood (Oleanna, Walnut Studio 3).
Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical :
Richard H. Blake & Ryan Toby (Avenue X, Wilma Theatre); James Brennan (Camelot, Walnut Street); James Brennan (1776, Walnut Street); Richard White (110 In The Shade, Bristol Riverside Theatre).
Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play :
Mia Dillon (Molly Sweeney, Philadelphia Theatre Company); Sally Mercer (The Glass Menagerie, Cheltenham Center); Sara Rafferty (Sylvia, Philadelphia Theatre Company); Maggie Siff (Oleanna, Walnut Studio 3); Millicent Sparks (Fires In The Mirror, Venture Theatre).
Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical :
Jennifer Lee Andrews (Another Midsummer Night, American Music Theatre Festival); Lindsay Cummings (Paper Moon, Walnut Street); Carol Furphy (Sweeney Todd, Puttin' On The Ritz); Barbara McCulloh (110 In The Shade, Bristol Riverside Theatre); Rema Webb (Avenue X, Wilma Theatre).
Outstanding New Play :
Another Midsummer Night (American Music Theatre Festival); Bare Knuckle (Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays); Black Russian (InterAct Company); Bunny, Bunny (Philadelphia Theatre Company); Third & Indiana (Arden Theatre Company).
Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play:
Benjamin Lloyd (The Illusion, Cheltenham Center); John Lumia (Third & Indiana, Arden Company); John R. Petrie (Angels In America - Part II, Villanova); Alan Tudyk (Bunny, Bunny, Philadelphia Theatre Company); Greg Wood (Death Of A Salesman, Arden Theatre Company).
Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Play:
Hazel Bowers (Romeo & Juliet, Bristol Riverside); Laurie Norton (Angels In America - Part II, Villanova); Ceal Phelan (Have It Your Way, People's Light & Theatre Company); Roz Ryan (Seven Guitars, Philadelphia Theatre Company); Maureen Torsney-Weir (Angels In America - Part II, Villanova).
Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical:
Charles Antalosky (1776, Walnut Street Theatre); Dana Bate (110 in the Shade, Bristol Riverside Theatre); Nat Chandler (Camelot, Walnut Street); Herb Downer (Avenue X, Wilma Theatre); Brian Jason Kelly (110 In The Shade, Bristol Riverside Theatre).
Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Musical:
Lisa Gunn (1776, Walnut Street); Julie Johnson (Paper Moon, Walnut Street); Abby Lindsday (110 In The Shade, Bristol Riverside); Michelle Nagy (Avenue X, Wilma Theatre); Sybyl Walker (Another Midsummer Night, American Music Theatre Festival).
Outstanding Choreography:
Charles Cornwell (Bare Knuckle, Philadelphia Festival Theatre); Kathy Garrinella (Servant Of Two Masters, Venture & Temple Theatres); Patricia Scott Hobbs (Black Nativity, Freedom Theatre); Rick Sordelet (Romeo & Juliet, Bristol Riverside); Billy Yalowitz (Arabian Nights, People's Light).
Outstanding Set Design:
David Gallo (Bunny, Bunny (Philadelphia Theatre Company); David P. Gordon (The Ruling Class, Wilma Theatre); Wesley Maloney-Truitt (The Illusion, Cheltenham Center); James F. Pyne Jr. (Arabian Nights, People's Light); Jerry Rojo (Quills).
Outstanding Lighting Design:
Russell H. Champa (Quills, Wilma Theatre); Russell H. Champa (Avenue X, Wilma Theatre); Jerold R. Forsyth (Angels In America - Part II, Villanova); Jerold R. Forsyth (Death Of A Salesman, Arden Theatre); Wes Hacking (The Illusion, Cheltenham Center).
Outstanding Costume Design:
Neil Bierbower (Servant Of Two Masters, Venture & Temple Theatres); Janus Stefanowicz (Arcadia, Wilma Theatre); Janus Stefanowicz (The Illusion, Cheltenham Center); David Woolard (Another Midsummer Night, American Music Theatre Festival); Michele Wynne (Romeo And Juliet, Bristol Riverside Theatre).
Outstanding Sound Design:
Elizabeth Fuller (The Chimes, Independent Eye); Eileen Tague (Angels In America - Part I, Millennium Approaches, Villanova Theatre); Eileen Tague (The Illusion, Cheltenham Center); Adam Wernick (Quills, Wilma Theatre); Jon Weston (Another Midsummer Night, American Music Theatre Festival).
Outstanding Original Music:
Paul Arslanian (Arabian Nights, People's Light & Theatre Company); David Bishop (The Tempest, People's Light & Theatre Company); Kevin Francis (Death Of A Salesman, Arden Theatre); Elizabeth Fuller (The Chimes, Independent Eye); Adam Wernick (Arcadia, Wilma Theatre).
Ensemble Performance:
Angels In America - Part II, Perestroika (Villanova Theatre); Avenue X (Wilma Theatre); Death Of A Salesman (Arden Theatre Company); Servant Of Two Masters (Venture Theatre/Temple Theatres); Voir Dire (People's Light & Theatre Company).
F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Artist:
Actress Jennifer Childs; actor Robert Christophe; director/composer Ozzie Jones; composer Adam Wernick; actor Frank X [sic].
CoreStates Community Service Award:
InterAct Theatre Company; Puttin' On The Ritz; Village of Arts & Humanities.
Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News Award for Excellence in Theatre Education:
American Music Theatre Festival; Philadelphia Young Playwrights Festival; Freedom Theatre.
Lifetime Achievement Award :
Winner: Philadelphia actor Doug Wing.
Wing, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, died Sept. 4. A critic from the Philadelphia Enquirer once called him, "the dean of Philadelphia actors." Wing starred in 20 shows at the Philadelphia Drama Guild and several at the Walnut Theatre. He had been scheduled to star in InterAct's Three In The Back, Two In The Head when he fell ill. For two years running, top honors at the Barrymores were taken by Terrence McNally, first with Master Class, then with Love! Valour! Compassion!.
The Barrymore Awards is a program of the non-profit Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia (formerly the Performing Arts League of Philadelphia), designed to "enhance awareness and attendance for theatres in the Great Philadelphia area."
--By David Lefkowitz
